To fake or not to fake - another open discussion

[DarkAxel]

So this is an open discussion on copies, fakes.

My story is the everyman's story. I am GASing for a Rickenbacker, but being a 24 year old student, barely half-employed, pouring all my excess money into my pedal dealership, I find myself unable to even think about getting one or saving up for one. The alliexpress.com Rickenfakers immediately pop into my mind...

I've heard many opinions on them and they all boil down to "Good value for the money, shitty electronics, probably better value for the money than new production of Rickenbackers for their asking price, ethically questionable."

Shitty electronics and setup are not a problem - I have a great pickups guy who can handwound circles around my dick and my flatmate sets up instruments. It's the ethics of it that is making me worried. I'm not worried about child labour, honestly I consider that hypocritical - either you do buy stuff made in china or you don't. We all do and therefore we are all sort of in the danger of supporting child/unfair labour. Don't want to sound too cynical but that's the way I see it.

The ethical conundrum I see in this is different - should I, or anyone else, own an instrument through purchasing a copy of it? A copy produced with the intention of being a copy? I'm not talking about reselling and giving the impression of a real deal, I'm talking about simply OWNING A RICKENBACKER that is not real, that is fake. Is that something we should want? I guess I'm looking at it from the point of entitlement - we live in the age of being able to purchase stuff like that. Should that be the only deciding factor? Should the respect for the instrument and its heritage be a factor too or not?

Should we not own certain stuff until we're able to afford the real deal?

I'm well lit on mojitos and gin and tonics, so this ight be a bit ranty, but... what do you guys think? I couldn't buy a Rickenfaker now BUT I'd probably consider it the most probable next bigger purchase.

[gnomethrone]

Play what you like dude. Think of it as a place holder till your pedal empire has made you a wealthy man. Also, if you're going to mod an instrument to your liking you may as well get a cheap one and add to its value rather than invest in a high end item that you're just gonna gut.

[DarkAxel]

well the mods would be done to get it to the real deal level - would have the pickups rewound to proper specs

although I'd probably go for a single jack output since I have no way to accommodate the Ric-o-sound anyway

[ognoy]

Just remove/paint over/put a sticker over the Rickenbacker-logo.
Rock Out.

[gnomethrone]

Get a Rickenfäker decal

[CyaNitrate]

I mean, strats have been copied for decades. And les pauls. I have an Epi LP, and yes, they are owned by Gibson, so it's a little different, but many other manufacturers make copies. And, it isn't uncommon for people to put Fender decals on their partscasters.

I think ultimately as long as you don't try to pass it off as the real deal should you ever sell it, you probably are fine morally.

[WayToHip]

Go for it, as long as you don't try to pass it off as the real deal later when you sell it.

[Chankgeez]

[youtube][/youtube]

[Mudfuzz]

Ah! here is you thread

My issues with saying just wait and get a real one are… I don't like the new ones, John Hall and his rickenazis from the ric resources forum make you want to make copies.. [actually the fist bass I built was shaped like a 325]..

There are two Greccos on ebay right now but they are a bit pricy… they'd be ever so just as good as a Ric though…

And as I said as long as it's the same scale length and the pickups are in the same place [and it is a through body neck] you should be able to get close sound wise.. also
[youtube][/youtube]
that's a Hondo one…

as for china, I hear you…

[backwardsvoyager]

even aside from resale i wouldn't sport a 'correct' logo. if you can get a fake looking and playing like a sick guitar, i think you should be proud of your efforts and embrace the fact that it isn't a real rickenbacker.
it's like how at some point replacing the decal became a part of the squier modding process.. i never understood that.. why should anybody be ashamed of using a cheap guitar?

[SPACERITUAL]

I mean you can get rickenbackers used for like a grand???? If you cant swing that try ishibashi and ikebe used. With the yen going hulk its not the greatest time ever but you can usually find lawsuit and later direct ripoffs that are quality for like $500. Also genuine ricks pop up on ishibashi all day for reasonable amounts. another option is the monogram series. They are japanese ripoffs with lovably retarded hardware (LOOK AT THAT TAILPIECE LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL) and paint schemes for mad cheap.


http://www.ikebe-gakki.com/ec/pro/disp/1/369953

[skullservant]

I want polkadots

[popvulture]

I don't know why people get hung up on having "nicer" names on stuff, but I've been guilty of that mindset many a time. Though I wouldn't really imagine he'd appeal to the ILF crowd, there's this Nashville session guitarist named Jack Pearson who's a fucking unbelievable player, and he uses a $150 Squier Bullet strat. Just owns it, doesn't give a fuck, clearly doesn't matter.

As for whether or not you wanna fake something, I say just do whatever you really want—as others said though, just be straight about it if you ever end up selling.

[DarkAxel]

Ah, Spacey - probably should have said I'm talking about bass

checked Ishibashi and Ikebe, no dice under 1500. Never had to pay a lot to get a good instrument, my P/J is a perfect example... Totally sick, MIJ, got it for about 300€ changed the pickups and it's a keeper! Just perhaps looking for a different look, feel and sound for some songs The budget fake ricks should be perfect for that. One question that is yet to be answered is the scale length, i'll ask on FB in the first church of amplifier worship where some member have them and love them

I'd be much better off trying to buy a Thunderbird (i might lol, I really like those)

[Obulus]

I mean you can get rickenbackers used for like a grand???? If you cant swing that try ishibashi and ikebe used. With the yen going hulk its not the greatest time ever but you can usually find lawsuit and later direct ripoffs that are quality for like $500. Also genuine ricks pop up on ishibashi all day for reasonable amounts. another option is the monogram series. They are japanese ripoffs with lovably retarded hardware (LOOK AT THAT TAILPIECE LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL) and paint schemes for mad cheap.


http://www.ikebe-gakki.com/ec/pro/disp/1/369953

Totes buying this if shipping is reasonable. Also definitely buying a replacement talepiece if I'm following through